So... finally been spending some time on the 9". Been working with Strange Engineering as well as Bronco Graveyard to try and figure out what the hell is wrong with my setup. Basically, I keep running into issues where the Pinion sticks out too far. My setup:

What I think it should look like:

This in turn doesn't allow the Yoke to far enough on to make contact with the Crush Sleeve. It actually hits the fat part of the Pinion. No one seems to know what the hell is wrong with it as all my measurements seem to be the checkout.

I'm very close to just biting the bullet and taking this to a shop to have them assemble it.

As for the Dana 44... the guy I took it too has stared at it blankly since I dropped it off last April. I spent about the first 2 months calling him and trying to get updates and he never got back to me. At this point, I'm assuming he won't ever get to it as he won't return my calls and only seems to be willing to talk to my old man. My old man says he feels really bad about never getting it done, but yet, still doesn't work on it. So screw him... probably end up taking to shop as well.

All that said, I could finally be getitng to the point where I try and get these things under the truck soon. And I have confirmed a guy who said he'd be willing to help me get this thing to a roller once we get the axles together. He was my welding instructor when I finished up my TIG cert.

Finished up my certs in both MIG and TIG at Hennepin Tech. Might go back and get my full fledged "degree" at some point but who knows. First, I want to actually acquire a TIG machine since that is super fun. Time consuming, but looks so damn nice if you do it enough. Was getting pretty decent with Stainless near the end, but it's already been over a year since I finished so I'm way out of practice I'm sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zabeard

keep working at it! you will get it. id say bring it here if you were closer

Yeah... we'll see what happens. Been pricing out all the other stuff I need to finish up the suspension today. Doesn't seem too spendy, but I'll talk with the wife once I get a complete list.

Over the weekend, I officially got my Dana 44 back. Wasn't even touched in the year the guy had it. I guess my dad talked to him on the phone this past weekend and he actually had the ***** to say that I should call him and he'll walk me through the whole thing when I get to working on it. I wanted to call him to just tell him where to stick it.

Probably going to end up paying someone to put together the 44 just so I know that one is done right. The 9", I'll keep working on as I'm so damn close. I was recommended a place down in Zumbrota called Zumbrota Bearing and Gear. Charge $375 to setup an axle and it seems to be a pretty flat rate (assuming of course there is no missing parts), and they don't guarantee the parts if you bought them, but still. Seems to be one of the better deals I've seen giving how few and far between places are that are actually willing to touch axles. Seems like axle setup is a rare thing.

We'll see. I've really been debating about just saying screw it to the whole thing recently as well and selling everything off. Starting to get frustrated with dead-end after dead-end after dead-end.